


Kismet

by motherofmercury



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Existentialism, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Harry Potter Next Generation, M/M, gay relationships, panic attack description
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-03-12 15:38:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 14,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13550373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motherofmercury/pseuds/motherofmercury
Summary: Albus Potter has been friends with Kismet Zeke ever since they met, aged five, and Scorpius Malfoy ever since they met on the Hogwarts Express, but recently, things have begun to become a little more complicated as they make their way through seventh year. New relationships blossom, old ones appear to crumble, old plans come to fruition and new ones never make it past the drawing board. Poor Albus is drowning in confusion and he can't even turn to his oldest friend, Kismet. But his life is to be determined by Kismet, so he can only hope it's sweet.





	1. Prologue

_I never really understood humans. So happy to run around after each other one moment, so devastated the next._

_But sometimes, sometimes, I might take a special interest in the direction one or two of them are running._

_Whether that be to make them collide headlong in their flight for another, or whether that be to keep them as far from certain others as Kismet may allow._

_Sometimes I play with them for my amusement, I guess that makes me a sadist, if you wanted to classify my behaviour in human terms._

_I_ _mean, it's true that I'm not kind. But I'm not unkind. I am just._

_And I think I might tell you the story of one I took an interest in. She was named after me._

_Occasionally, when one names a child after me, it is not coincidence. It is not an accident. It is Fate. Destiny. Kismet._


	2. Kismet

_Now, I'm not going to tell you her story from her point of view.  No, her story is best told from the view of another.  So I will begin her story from where I first began to notice her._  
  
        Albus Severus Potter, aged five and three-quarters, peered through a small boy-sized hole in the thick hedge at the short girl with long, light brown hair who was holding a small, white stuffed monkey by its paw.  The lengthy, fluffy tail was dragging in the dust of the tire tracks in the driveway left behind by the truck full of furniture.  
  
        "Kismet!" A gentle baritone voice called, "Come inside!" A man strode across the driveway and picked her up.  Albus watched the little white monkey fall from the small girl's hand and land in the dirt.  She barely even noticed, her father tickling her while she shrieked and wriggled with glee.  
  
        As the pair entered the house, Albus slid through the hole in the hedge and picked up the dirty monkey.  He stroked its soft fur gently before staring up at the towering house.  He knew he should return it, but he wasn't as confident as James around new people; he would just wait until the moment presented itself.

 _Luckily for him, whether that luck be good or bad, the moment appeared to stumble upon him.  But, of course, that wasn't a coincidence._  

        The rough bark of the tree trunk lacerated Albus' hands as he climbed the tall oak tree in the Potter's back garden, but he didn’t care.  When he reached the top, he pulled himself into the little tree-hut his father had built for him, and looked out, over the hedge, to the property next door.  The short girl, maybe about five- around his age, was sitting on the driveway in floods of tears.  He could hear her heart-wrenching sobs from where he stood.  
  
        "Hey!" Albus called.  The girl looked around, not sure if it was she who was being hollered at.  "Up here!"    
  
        She lifted up her tear streaked face and saw Albus beckoning her from the tree hut.  She looked around and stood up a little unsteadily, not noticing the dirt on her little pale pink skirt.  She walked towards the hedge and quickly found the hole, climbing through.  Albus watched her expertly shimmy up the tall tree; obviously she had done this before.  
  
        For a few moments they simply looked at each other, taking each other in.  Children judge the most harsh.  Albus noticed that the girl's big, dark brown eyes were just a little bit too far apart, her mouth just a little bit too wide.  But like most children, he didn't really care what she looked like.  "I'm Albus, Albus Potter." He said, sticking out his chubby little hand for her to shake.  Now that he was in this situation he decided he might as well pretend he was a confident boy.  
  
        She gave him a small smile as she sniffed, shaking his proffered hand.  "Kismet Zeke."  
  
        "That’s a weird name!" Albus smiled at her.  She also had a weird accent that lilted in funny places.  
  
        "It means fate, or destiny."  
  
        "That's so cool, Albus just means 'bright'." He looked down and saw the monkey lying on the floor.  He bent down to pick it up, "You dropped this yesterday."  
  
        Kismet looked at the toy monkey, then grabbed it and hugged it to her chest before throwing her arms around Albus' neck.  "Oh thank you! I thought I'd lost my _Wit Aap_!"  
  
        Albus' face turned cherry red.  "What does that mean?" He asked curiously as she let go of him.  
  
        "It means White Monkey in Afrikaans." She smiled at him happily.  
  
        "What’s Afrikaans? And where are you from? You speak funny." Albus scrunched up his nose in confusion.  
  
        "South Africa, but Mama said Pa and I should come to England for a while to learn better.  It's weird here though.  Mama was supposed to come too, but she got really sick and the doctor said she couldn’t travel so I’m going to learn really fast and go back to South Africa to make her better again.”  
  
        "Oh, I hope you do make your Mama better. But while you’re here I can look after you." She met his eyes and he flushed and looked at the ground, wishing he hadn’t said that.  
  
        Kismet grinned at the shy Albus, she was anything but shy, she was just happy to have made a friend in such a strange place.  "You can be my best friend." She stated firmly.  
  
        Albus turned much redder but smiled at her nonetheless, "I've never had a proper best friend before."|  
  
        "Well you have one now!" Kismet giggled at Albus. "You can keep my _Wit Aap_ because best friends give each other things."  
  
        Albus' bright green eyes widened, "Really? Are you sure? But I don’t have anything for you!"  
  
        "Yes. You can look after him and keep him safe forever. He will be lucky for you, and it doesn’t matter, I don’t care."  
  
_Indeed white animals are deemed sacred in some cultures, as are black.  But a white animal given by one named after me, given by Kismet, certainly would be lucky for young Albus.  But luck is not always good._  
  
        "Thank you." Albus said sincerely. "Do you wanna meet my family?"  
  
        "Okay." They scrambled down the tree and ran up the lawn towards the house hand in hand.  
  
        Mr. Potter opened the door for them and smiled at his middle child.  "Who's this then?"  
  
        "Dad, this is Kismet Zeke, she moved next door from Africa!"  
  
        "How do you do Kismet? I'm Harry Potter." He extended his hand to shake her tiny one as she giggled.


	3. Inescapable

              **12 Years Later**  
  
  
"Kismet!" Albus called over the hedge from his perch in the tree hut.  "Are you coming or not?"  
  
        "I'm coming, I'm coming!" The tall seventeen year old girl squeezed through the hedge and ran towards the oak tree that Albus was sitting in, hair flying. "Pa already gave Harry my trunk."  
  
        "Good."  The pair sat on the platform above the old tree hut, legs dangling and swinging over the edge.  Albus gave Kismet a small shove and she shrieked with laughter as she tipped slightly before rebalancing herself on the platform.  
  
        "Albus! Do you want me to fall off?" She laughed good-naturedly.  
  
        "Yes." He grinned and pushed her again, slightly harder than before.  This time she slid off and landed on the branch just below the platform.  
  
        Albus lay down on his front on the platform and peered down at Kismet. “Show off!” He called.  
  
        "Come on!" She grinned back, "We have to eat before we get on the train, and we don't have much time!"  
  
        Just then Ginny Potter came out of the house with a flustered look on her face.  "Albus! Kismet! Where are you? Lily and James have already had breakfast!"  
  
        "Coming Mum!" Albus called back from his position in the tree.  He jumped up and swung down onto the same branch as Kismet, then they quickly clambered down together and ran into the house behind Mrs. Potter.  "What's for breakfast?"  
  
        "Whatever you make." Ginny replied.  
  
        "Oh." Albus' smile faded.  
  
        "Albus," Ginny reached over to hug her middle child, "I made pancakes, and there isn't enough time to force you to make your own food." She laughed.  
  
        Kismet burst out laughing as Albus' face lit up again.  
  
        "Pancakes!" Albus shouted in excitement, piling his plate with the delicious creations.  
  
        "Hurry up, Albus, you're going to make everyone else late!" Ginny attempted to hurry him along.  
  
        Just then, James flashed through the room and out the door, Lily Luna hot on his heels, "JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" She cried.  
  
        Kismet laughed again and shook her head, "I really thought he would stop teasing her when he left school."  
  
        "Well, you certainly thought wrong!" Ginny shook her head at the children as Albus stuck out a hand and Kismet dropped three silver sickles into his outstretched palm.  
  
        Lily came running back into the room and screeched, "Mum!" She pointed to her shoulder length hair which was now an unfortunate shade of emerald green. "He dyed my hair  _green!_ Do something! I’m not Slytherin!”  
  
            “We’re Slytherin though, and there isn’t anything wrong with us.” Kismet ruffled Lily’s green hair as she flushed a rather deep red that contrasted nicely with the vibrant green.  
  
        With an elegant flick of Ginny's wand, Lily's hair was back to its normal red and James walked back into the room and ruffled up her hair affectionately.  "You know I would have changed it back." He grinned at her glare.  
  
      "No, you wouldn't have!"  
  
        James smirked, "You're right." He nodded solemnly then ran out laughing as Lily stormed back to her room with a face of thunder.

o.O.o

        A little while later, Albus was hurrying down the train in search of whatever compartment Kismet was in.  
  
        "Where  _is_ the bloody girl?" He muttered under his breath.  There were only so many compartments on a train, but Kismet didn't seem to be in any of them.  Perhaps because of the fact that Kismet was his best female friend, she definitely knew exactly how to rile him up.  
  
        "Talking to yourself is a sign of madness, Potter." A soft, teasing male voice said behind him.  
  
        Albus suppressed the urge to shiver with pleasure at the sound of that smooth, friendly voice. "Shut up, Scor," Albus turned around and grinned at his best mate. "Kismet's the mad one around here."  
  
        "Speaking of- where is she? You two are usually joined at the hip." Scorpius glanced up and down the train.  
  
        "I don't have a clue." Albus shrugged, his eyes involuntarily straying to the sharp collarbone visible above the loose tie and partially unbuttoned shirt before sliding back up to his face.  As Albus looked at Scorpius Malfoy, his fellow Slytherin, he couldn't help but notice how the sun - filtering in through the windows on the train - caressed his white blonde hair, almost appearing to give him a halo; and how bright and blue his eyes looked, contrasting sharply against his hair.  
  
        "W-what're you staring at?" Scorpius asked, Albus noticed his ears had tinged pink as he brushed past the slightly shorter boy, playfully tousling his already messy hair as he went.  “I need to find Rose, she took my book.”  
  
        Albus pushed down the fluttering feeling in his stomach, doing his best to ignore the thoughts and ideas that were bubbling up in his mind. No.  He shook his head firmly and carried on down the train in the opposite direction to the other boy.  
  
        "Al!" A cheerful female voice called.  
  
        "Kismet!" Albus exclaimed.  He was irked, but he knew his face lit up as he hurried towards the troublesome girl.  She was already changed and wearing her Slytherin robes.    
  
        When Albus had been sorted into Slytherin, he had been so paranoid that he'd never make any friends, and he was absolutely positive that Kismet was going to be Gryffindor, so when his best friend was sorted into Slytherin with him, he was positively over the moon.  And then he met Scorpius, and well, let's just say he made friends.  
  
        "I was saying hi to Hugo and Rose," She replied cheerfully.  "Then I came to find you!"  
  
        "I was looking for you everywhere! I checked the compartment Rose and Hugo are in!" Albus sighed and shook his head.  She was a slippery one.  Slytherin for a reason.  
  
        "Oops? Come on." Kismet grinned and linked arms with Albus, leading him down the train. "Let's go get Scor."  
  
        Albus’ brow furrowed at the easy way she brushed off his anger and made him forget it.  Sometimes Albus swore she was too cheerful and bouncy.  And yet, she made Albus feel so  _alive_  when he was with her.


	4. Chance

“Potter, go sit over there next to Malfoy, please.” Professor Slughorn sighed as he glanced up to see Kismet swagger in.  
  
        Her green tie was undone and slung loosely across her shoulders, her hair piled atop her head in a quick messy bun.  She saw Albus and grinned at him with her slightly crooked teeth as he slid into the seat beside Scorpius, his eyebrows drawn in apparent thought.  
  
        “I hope she doesn’t blow anything up today.” Scorpius chuckled, noticing Albus’ foul mood and hoping to cheer him up.  “Maybe she’ll actually complete a potion for once!”  
  
        “She always completes her potions.” Albus muttered darkly.  
  
        “Well yeah, but she also always blows something up.”  
  
        “Not always.”  
  
        “Okay, usually. Al, it was a joke, don’t take everything so personally.  Besides, it wasn’t even about you.” Scorpius reasoned.  
  
        He only got a grunt in reply.  
  
        “Mate, I know she’s been our friend for seven years, but she’s definitely a strange one.” Scorpius’ eyebrows were drawn together in concern.  “You always seem to be angry these days and I’m just wondering if it’s because Kismet seems to be drifting away, moving on-”  
  
        “I’m not always angry!” Albus cut in.   
  
        Scorpius raised a single eyebrow at him, “Well that didn’t sound very calm.”  
  
        Albus felt the heat creeping up his neck.   _Dammit Scor, why do you have to know me so well?_ Sometimes having such a close friend was great, but other times, it was just plain irritating.  “Just leave me alone.” He aggressively sprinkled some powdered unicorn horn into their shared cauldron.  
  
        “Albus-“ Scorpius tried again.  
  
        “I said leave me alone!”  
  
        “Al.”  
  
        The glare Albus directed at Scorpius in that moment could have curdled dairy.  Scor raised his hands in mock surrender to admit defeat. “Alright!” He conceded.  If there was one thing that Scorpius Malfoy hated most in the world, it was someone making his closest friend into a total asshole.  For seven years Scorpius had sat just on the outside of the friendship between Albus and Kismet.  For seven years he had watched Kismet slowly make Albus more and more prone to black moods.  Seven years of watching what he considered a toxic friendship grow and shatter, heal and stumble, but always, somehow, ending up intact and no worse for the wear.  But Scorpius had decided seven years was too long.  Albus wasn’t the same boy he had met in a train compartment that day in first year.  Scor had watched Albus gain confidence, but it seemed to him that this confidence was talking the place of happiness.  This was seventh year.  Something had to change.  
  
        Albus could see that Scorpius was thinking hard.  He had withdrawn into himself, absently nodding when Al tried to ask him if cutting or crushing worked better.  He frowned to himself, he really hadn’t meant to get mad at Scor.  Scorpius was annoyingly right though; he always was.  Albus was always angry and half the time he didn’t even understand why.  But he didn’t think it was Kismet.  Or maybe he just didn’t want to believe it could be.  
  
        Suddenly a loud crack shattered the near silence of the class.  There were many shocked faces and even a few shrieks.  Scorpius stumbled backwards into the desk behind him and fell flat on his butt.  He looked incredibly startled, his blue eyes wide and round, like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck.  Albus glanced down at him in barely suppressed amusement before looking towards the front of the class, where the noise had come from.  Black smoke had begun to contaminate the air and Albus thought he could just make out the vague outline of Kismet through all the dark smoke.   
  
        As the entire class filled with the reeking vapour, he heard an exclamation from where he thought he had spotted Kismet among its dense centre, “Oh! You put the bat wings in  _after_ the unicorn horn!”  
  
        Little shrieks and curses were heard through the quickly thickening smoke that was now impenetrable to the human eye.   
  
        “EVERYBODY OUT!” Slughorn yelled through the bedlam.     
       
        There was a cough from somewhere on the floor behind Albus and then he heard; “She’s worse than that bloody Seamus guy Dad used to complain about!” And he knew it came from Scorpius.  
  
        Albus chuckled quietly to himself and reached down to help Scorpius up so that they could get out of the potions room. He put his arm around Scorpius as they stumbled out of the dungeon together and joined the rest of the class huddled in the corridor, coughing the smoke out of their lungs.  
  
        Professor Slughorn sounded completely fed up as he spoke to Kismet. “Miss Zeke, I have given you many chances to prove that you are not as hopeless as you seem to enjoy making out-" He broke off as Kismet giggled at his choice of phrasing.  “Merlin child, I’ve never met anyone quite like you! Detention tonight and I think it’s time we had a little chat about whether N.E.W.T Potions is really the best idea for you.”  
  
        “But Professor I have to take Potions!” It seemed that something he said had finally gotten through.  
  
        “My dear, you certainly have talent, but you don’t put it to good use! Blowing things up every lesson is a distraction to the rest of the class who actually want to learn!”  
  
        “I can’t drop Potions! I promised Pa that I could pass Potions!”  
  
        “Well then you need to start taking responsibility.  I can’t take your N.E.W.T’s for you.”  
  
        Scorpius glanced at Albus with raised eyebrows.  “Have I missed something about having to take Potions?” He asked.  
  
        Albus was suddenly incredibly aware of the fact that his arm was still around Scorpius’ shoulders and that he could feel the heat of his skin under his robes.  He quickly dropped his arm to his side.  He could have sworn something changed in Scor’s eyes when he moved his arm.  “Oh, don’t worry about it.  Slughorn will give her another chance, he always does.” Albus said.  
  
        Scorpius nodded at this and he knew that Albus would give Kismet another chance too. 

        He always did.


	5. Future

Albus walked out of the Slytherin common room exceptionally early the next morning.  His plan had been to find that book Scor had been looking for, but as the common room door closed behind him, he saw Kismet rounding the corner ahead of him.  He followed her silently through the various corridors of the old castle, the occasional ghost ignoring them as it drifted past.  
  
        Albus heard heavy footsteps echoing down the corridor, so he dived around a corner and pressed himself to the wall, praying to Merlin that the person wouldn't come past him.  The footsteps continued past and he heaved a sigh of relief before hurrying to catch up to Kismet.  Where was she going?  Much to his surprise, up the Divination tower.  
   
        He watched Kismet climb the ladder into the stuffy classroom, making sure he was out of sight.  He saw Kismet hesitate at the top of the ladder, her head part-way through the trapdoor.  Once she had fully disappeared through the trapdoor and it had closed behind her, Albus climbed the ladder and carefully opened the trapdoor just a crack.  He pressed his eye to the gap, the heat of the class blasting against his face momentarily before he was able to take in the empty classroom and the crystal balls scattered across the floor.  Kismet had obviously noticed the Divination implements across the floor too because Albus watched her stoop and collect an armful of the balls as she worked her way across the room to the chair Professor Trelawney usually occupied.  The chair suddenly swung around and Kismet dropped her armful of crystal balls with a tinkling clatter.  
  
         Albus watched them tumble across the floor as the professor's voice wavered across the room.  
  
        "Come here, child."  
  
        Albus pressed his eye closer against the crack in the trapdoor and watched Kismet walk up to Trelawney.  
  
        "Give me your hand."  
  
        Kismet reluctantly proffered her right hand towards the professor.  
  
        "The other hand."  
  
        Albus swore he saw Kismet roll her eyes in the dim light and stick her left hand towards Trelawney.  There was some general muttering before Albus caught Trelawney saying, "Short head line... jump to conclusions..."  
  
        Albus had to suppress a snort.  That was certainly right.  Kismet was most definitely prone to making rash decisions.  
  
        "An intersected heart line... perceived betrayal..."  
  
        Albus sucked in a breath.  Perceived betrayal?  Well what did that mean? That she would betray someone? That she's betrayed someone? Someone's betrayed her?  Someone was going to betray her?  He sighed and shook his head.  Useless Divination.    
  
        "A broken life line... trauma... hmmm..." The wavering voice trailed off into indistinct noises.  
  
        Albus sighed again, this time in exasperation, again; such an ambiguous insight.  How was Divination even useful?  Everything could mean one thing or something completely different.  What a load of bullshit.  Trelawney muttered something else, apparently to herself, but Kismet obviously heard.  Albus watched as Kismet snatched her hand away from Professor Trelawney, obviously unsettled by whatever she had said that Albus didn't quite catch.  He quickly realised that Kismet was about to climb down the ladder and collide with him, so he frantically scrambled down the few rungs, but his foot tangled in his robes and snagged on the last rung.  He tumbled to the ground with a thunk and just lay there, knowing that any chance of remaining unseen was unlikely.  Kismet descended the ladder with considerably more grace than Albus and she barely threw him a glance as she ran past and down the spiralling steps of the tower.  He hauled himself off the floor before following her once more through the vast labyrinth of corridors that made up Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Kismet banged her way into the Slytherin common room, Albus now only a few steps behind.  Scorpius was sitting on the green couch, nose in a book, but he looked up with a concerned frown when Kismet stormed in.  
  
        "Kismet?" He inquired tentatively.  
  
        She ignored him as she ran to her dorm.  Albus plopped down next to Scorpius and rested his head on his best friend's shoulder.  
  
        "What was that about?" Scorpius asked softly, his arm automatically coming around Albus' shoulders.  
  
        "Trelawney read her palm and she must have said something but Kismet is acting so strange she usually says everything she's thinking I don't know wha-"  
  
        "Shh, Kismet will tell us when she's ready." Scorpius' hand was resting in Albus' dark hair and he began to softly run his fingers through the silky strands.    
  
        Albus sat up abruptly, his face flushed and stammered, "Uhh, I- um, let's go eat breakfast."  
  
        Scorpius realised what he had just been doing and knew his entire face was about to become beetroot red.  "Yeah... yeah. Breakfast."


	6. Circumstance

The day dawned bright and sunny the next Saturday, only a few fluffy white clouds scudded cheerfully across the deep azure expanse of sky, although the air was biting, cold enough to warrant scarves and coats and hats.  
  
            However, Albus was completely oblivious to the beauty outside the castle, but he was making up for that obliviousness by being intensely hyper-aware of the fact that Scorpius’ warm thigh was creating a pleasant burning sensation against his own thigh as they sat next to each other on the emerald green couch in the Slytherin common room, studying.  Or at least, Scorpius was studying.  Albus on the other hand, was occasionally turning the pages so that Scor wouldn’t realise he was actually studying _him_ out of the corner of his eye.  Scorpius, extreme nerd that he was, had immediately noticed something was wrong with the irregularity of Albus’ page turning, but he just shrugged it off and decided not to comment.  
  
            Suddenly, there was a shriek and running footsteps towards the pair.  “Alright boys! Are we going to Hogsmeade or are we going to sit here making love to our books all day?” Came a female voice from behind the couch.  
  
            Scorpius immediately flushed scarlet and snapped his book shut as Albus merely grunted due to not actually listening to what was being said because he was too absorbed with the feeling of Scorpius’ thigh on his thigh as the other boy shifted position.   
  
            There was another loud exclamation from somewhere in the dorms, this time quite a bit ruder.  Kismet hurdled the couch and started out into the corridor, the boys off the couch and on her tail.  “I’m in a bit of a hurry!”  
  
            “What did you do?” Albus sighed as he ran after Kismet.  
  
            “I may have accidentally shaved all of Zabini’s hair off.”  
  
            “’Accidentally.’” Scorpius puffed.  
  
            “Kismet, that was a  _lot_ of hair.” Albus shook his head at her crazy antics as he followed her through the castle and out to the carriages.   
  
            Once the trio reached Hogsmeade, they quickly decided that they would go first to Scrivenshaft’s Quill Shop so that Kismet could replenish her supply of quills and parchment, before heading over to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer.  
  
            “Kismet, I swear parchment and quills are all you buy these days.” Scorpius said lightly as he and Albus walked behind Kismet down the shop’s aisles.  
  
            Kismet spun on her heel so she was facing the boys, “Well you only ever buy books.” She sneered.  
  
            Scor’s face flushed but he held up his hands in mock surrender, “Alright, no need to get angry.”  
  
            Albus exchanged a glance with Scorpius before walking a little faster to catch up with Kismet. “That was a bit uncalled for.” He observed mildly.  
  
            “I know, I’m sorry, I just- argh! I don’t know! Maybe I should head back to the castle.  I need to study for History of Magic.”  She leaned towards him and gently kissed his cheek, her lips soft and warm against his cold face.  
  
            Albus turned and watched her go, his hand coming up to his tingling cheek as his jaw hung slack.  
  
            Scorpius leaned against a shelf with his arms casually crossed.  He straightened and came towards Albus.  “She never says goodbye to me.” He said ever so softly.  
  
            Albus sighed but only replied with, “Let’s just go get a drink.”  
  
            The pair walked close together down the street, almost touching, but not quite.  Again Albus was hyper-aware of Scorpius.  Every breath he took in the chilly air, every time any part of him brushed against Albus due to their closeness, every steamy exhale.  They stayed like this as they walked into the Three Broomsticks, ordered their butterbeers and found a booth to sit in.

o.O.o

            Albus sighed darkly as he nursed his butterbeer.  Scorpius had gone to the bathroom and he was certainly taking his time about it.  Albus was beginning to worry if someone had shoved his head down a toilet and he was too embarrassed to come out with wet hair and clothes.  Scor might be tall, but he was scrawny.  Not much muscle to defend himself with.  It had happened before, in fifth year.  Albus chuckled darkly at the memory of a soaking fifteen-year-old Scorpius, the toilet water dripping off his nose and glistening enticingly on his delicate, pale skin.  Albus jerked out of his seat and made his way towards the bathrooms, abandoning the dregs of his butterbeer.  
  
            He banged through the bathroom door just as Scorpius was coming out, causing the two boys to collide headlong, very nearly tumbling to the floor in a crumpled heap; but not quite.  
  
            The boys immediately started babbling at the same time.  
  
            “Scor! I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”  
  
            “Are you okay, Al?”  
  
            “Yeah, I’m okay.”  
  
            “Yes, I’m fine.”  
  
            “Let me just…” Albus trailed off as he reached out and tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind Scorpius’ ear.  Albus let his fingers linger softly on Scor’s jaw, his eyes pausing on the other boy’s lips.  On impulse and pure adrenaline, Albus leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to Scorpius’.  
  
            Scorpius’ pale blue eyes grew wide and he pulled back, stumbling away from Albus, back into the bathroom.  
  
            “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have- I mean-“ Albus fumbled for words, but the pain in his face was evident.  Scor had pulled away; he didn’t care for Albus that way.  
  
            “Why did you do that?” Scorpius touched his lips, shock and confusion scrawled across his delicate features.  
  
            “I really didn’t mean to- I’m so sorry! I don’t know-"  
  
            But Scorpius wasn’t listening, he barged past Albus and out of the bathroom, hastily making his way out of the Three Broomsticks and back towards the castle.  
  
            Albus sank down the wall of the bathroom, hot tears pricking at his eyes and beginning to trickle down his face.  
  
            Just then a pride of Gryffindors came in.  “What are you doing, Freak?”  
  
            “Cry baby.” They jeered at him.  
  
            Albus scrambled to his feet before they could kick him, scurrying out of the bathroom and out of the Three Broomsticks, towards the Shrieking Shack.  Despite the real story behind the Shack being almost commonly known these days, people still tended to avoid it, more on principle, Albus suspected, rather than out of any real fear.  Still, this provided him with a lonely sanctuary on the empty path by the fence.  He slumped to the ground against the fence and allowed his quiet sobs to fill the empty air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this extra chapter to make up for missing last week <3 Feel free to leave a comment with your reactions or questions or whatever you want!


	7. Nemesis

The patter of footsteps coming down the path alerted Albus that he was about to have company.  He gave a horrible gurgling sniff and frantically wiped his eyes on his sleeves.  
  
            “What’s this?” Came a voice that Albus knew very well.  “My little baby brother, bawling his eyes out with fear at the Shrieking Shack?”  
  
            “James?!” Albus looked up in astonishment and consternation.  “W-what are you doing here?”  
  
            “I, happen to have a date, if you must know.” He said as Albus sniffed again.  “Here.” James threw a handkerchief at him before sliding to the ground beside him.  
  
            “W-why do you have a handkerchief?” Albus asked, blowing his nose loudly.  
  
            “Ladies love a man who’s prepared for when they get emotional.” He smiled smugly, “It’s worked on many occasions.”  
  
            Albus shook his head but smiled despite himself.  “I can’t believe you sometimes.”  
  
            “Who made you cry, Al?” James asked gently.  
  
            “Scorpius.” Albus sniffed again.  
  
            “That filthy Malfoy bastard!” James jumped up, “I’ll-“  
  
            “No! James, he’s my friend! I- I like him!”  
  
            “Well if he’s your friend then I’d damn well hope you like him.” He sat back down, “What did he do?”  
  
            Albus laughed bitterly and looked down. “It’s not what he did, it’s what I did.  I- I really like him James- I really  _like_  like him.  I- I think I’m gay.” His voice dropped to a scared whisper on the last sentence.  
  
            “Can’t’ve been many holes to stick your cock through in that closet.”  
  
            “James!” Albus looked up, shocked and annoyed.  “Please, for once in your life, can you be serious?”  
  
            “Sirius is my middle name!”  
  
            Albus buried his head in his arms on his knees.  
  
            “No, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t joke about this.  Al, Are you sure you like him?”  
  
            “Of course I’m sure!” Albus’ head jerked up and he stared wildly around.  “Scorpius Malfoy is all I can think about!  He’s my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night! He is the only thing that has kept me going for the last three years!”  He put his head back on his arms as he began to sob again at the realisation that everything he had said was true.  
  
            “Al,” James said softly, “Why didn’t you tell me you’ve been struggling like this?”  
  
            “Because I didn’t want it to be true! I’ve felt like shit for the last three years! Every day it’s been harder to get out of bed; only Scorpius could make me get up and keep going.  Not even Kismet seems to help anymore! She’s always studying, no time for silly little Albus and his imagined depression!  And I always feel so angry.  Why am I always so angry?!” By this time Albus was almost yelling, but James still sat next to him calmly.  “James, I’m gay and I’m depressed.  What would Mum say?” He sobbed.  
  
            James put his arms around Albus and let him sob against him for a while before saying, “Mum would say you should have told her and that she loves you anyway.”  
  
            Albus gave a weak laugh, “No, she would say something ironic about emotional Slytherins’.”  
  
            James chuckled and said, “Al, I’ve known you’re gay for ages.  How do you think I couldn’t see the way you look at Scorpius when he visits?  Merlin, it’s disgusting! You practically worship the boy!”  
  
            Albus’ head came up and his mouth dropped open in shock.  “But- but- How could you know?  _I_ didn’t know!”  
  
            “Yes you did.  But you hide from yourself, Little Brother.  You were too scared to acknowledge it.”  James said softly.  “Go get him instead of crying out here in the cold.” He stood up and ruffled Albus’ hair before pulling him up.  
  
            Albus looked up at him with wide, earnest eyes.  “But I- I kissed him and he ran away.”  
  
            James looked at his younger brother with pity, “You need some lessons in the game of love.” He shook his head mock condescendingly, “Lesson number one: When they run away, it doesn’t always mean no.” He reached up and rubbed his cheek ruefully.  “Although on occasion, it does.  Be careful Little Brother.” He ruffled Albus’ hair again before slapping him on the back and saying, “Good luck! Now, I have a stunning raven-haired beauty to snog.  See you ‘round!” He waved and jogged off in the direction of Madam Puddifoot’s.  
  
            Albus sniffed again and shook his head wonderingly.  There can’t have been a girl left in all of England and Scotland that James hadn’t snogged.  After a moment’s hesitation, Albus pocketed the handkerchief and decided to make his way back up to the castle.  
  
            Once back at the castle, Albus paused outside the Slytherin common room.  He thought he could hear voices filtering through the door.  Voices he knew well.  
  
            “But what do I do? I’m so confused.”  
  
            “Just ignore him for a while, distance usually sorts things out.”  
  
Albus pushed open the door to find Kismet and Scorpius sprawled on a couch.  Kismet with parchment and quill in hand, frantically finishing an essay he hadn’t even started, and Scorpius, beautiful, innocent Scorpius, with his nose in a book as usual.  He glanced up as Albus walked in, but he avoided eye contact and continued reading.  
  
            “Scor…” Albus hesitated.  “Can we talk?”  
  
            Scorpius’ ears were tinged red as he slowly said, “What is there to talk about?” eyes glued to his page.  
  
            “Scor-"  
  
            “Leave me alone.” He said, voice shaking slightly.  
  
            Albus felt his face fall and the tears pricked hot and thick behind his eyes for the fourth time that day as he turned and walked out into the corridor, feeling more alone than he’d ever felt in his entire life.


	8. Fate

A few days later Albus and Scorpius were paired together in Potions.  Albus looked over at Scorpius as he gently poured a vial of murtlap tears into their cauldron.  Scorpius reached for the sprig of dittany at the same time as Albus, their fingers brushing.  Scorpius yanked his hand away as if scalded and turned away from Albus as the brown-haired boy began to crush the leaves, fresh tears stinging the backs of his eyes.  
  
        It was weeks later when Scorpius finally sought Albus of his own volition.  He found him in the library, reading in a secluded corner by the Restricted Section.  
  
            “Albus?” He asked tentatively, not sure if the other boy would want to talk to him.  
  
            Albus looked up sharply at the sound of the soft voice he had so longed for and yet dreaded to hear.  “Scorpius.” He replied cautiously.  
  
            “I- I think we should talk about what- what happened…”  
  
            Albus closed his book and screwed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose.  He stayed like this for a moment before lowering his hand and looking up at Scorpius with large, wide eyes full of hurt and anger.  “Why now?”  
  
            “Because now I’ve had time to think about it! Now I can remember it without hating you! _A_ _nd_ myself for liking it!” His voice dropped suddenly, “Now that Kismet has finally shut up.”  
  
            “What does Kismet have to do with any of this?” Albus’ eyebrows shot up to his hairline.  
  
            “She keeps going on about how it’s a sin and we can’t possibly, it will completely ruin the friendship, blah blah blah.  I can’t listen to her anymore! It’s driving me insane!”  
  
            “Oh, and your complete absence from my life hasn’t been driving me insane?! The total disruption to my life of having no one to talk to?! To see you every single day but never even feel like I can make eye contact without being completely rebuffed?! You know Goddammed fucking well how I’ve been taking this Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.” He whispered furiously, “I was convinced you’d hate me for the rest of our miserable little lives!”  
  
            By this time, the angrily whispering pair were getting glares from other library-goers who were trying to study.   
  
        “Let’s go somewhere else to talk.” Scorpius grabbed Albus’ arm and dragged him unceremoniously out of the library and into an empty classroom.  “Al, look. I was confused and afraid and I didn’t know what to do, so I shut you out! And you shut me out too!” Scorpius tried to remain calm.  
  
        “But Scorpius! You had to wait three entire weeks just to talk to m-"

  
        He was cut off as Scorpius grabbed his shirt and smacked his lips to Albus’, effectively stemming the stream of words coming from his mouth.  
  
        Albus’ eyes went wide, but then he snapped them closed as he leaned into the kiss he had been yearning for for longer than he cared to admit.  
  
        Scorpius pulled away and touched his lips. “No,” he said quietly and breathlessly, “It took me three entire weeks to work up the courage to do  _that_.”  
  
        “I’m sorry, Scor.” Albus suddenly took an intense interest in his shoes, only a few centimetres away from Scor’s.  
  
        “I’m sorry too, but Albus- I- I think I do like you.” He trailed off to a whisper.  
  
        The most incredibly radiant smile broke across Albus’ face, brighter than the sun coming out after a storm.  He hadn’t allowed himself to hope, even when Scorpius had kissed him, but now he had said it!  A grin broke out on Scorpius' face, mirroring Albus.  The pair just stood like that for a good minute, grinning stupidly at each other, just revelling in the excitement and happiness of their mutual ‘like’ for each other.  
  
        “Oh!” The door had opened and the two boys heard the startled voice of Professor Flitwick. “What are you two doing in here?”  
  
        Scorpius just stood there, mouth gaping open and closed like a goldfish out of water.  Albus took one look at him, rolled his eyes affectionately, and took charge of the situation.  “Don’t worry, Professor! I thought I’d left my wand in here. Stupid of me! But I found it! Sorry.”  
  
        “Right, well, best be on your way then.”  
  
        “Yes Professor.  C’mon Scor.” He grabbed the sleeve of Scorpius’ robe and yanked his gaping friend out of the classroom.

o.O.o

        Days flew into weeks, weeks into months.  Before they knew it the pumpkins had frosted over and snow layered the ground in knee-high drifts.  Furtive glances and stolen kisses in abandoned classrooms had turned into open hand holding and quick pecks in public.  By now the entire school had heard the news of the Malfoy and the Slytherin Potter boy, but Scor still refused to have a full-blown make-out session in a public area.  “It’s not dignified!”  Albus just laughed at him and affectionately kissed his nose.  
  
            Before long, Christmas was almost upon them and it was the day of the annual Christmas Party, held by none other than the lively Gryffindors’.  
  
            “What should I wear?” Kismet despaired as she flopped down onto Albus’ bed in the boys’ dormitory, Al and Scor being curled up together on Scorpius’ bed.  
  
            “Um, clothes?” Scorpius remarked mildly.  
  
            “Ha. Ha.” Kismet rolled her eyes sprawled back across the bed.  
  
            “Well, you aren’t going to find many dresses in here Kismet.” Albus laughed.  “What about that forest green one you wore on my birthday last year?”  
  
            Scorpius turned towards Albus with an admiring smirk.  “I didn’t know you had fashion sense.”  
  
            “Remembering a specific dress that I liked hardly means I have fashion sense.” Albus kissed Scorpius’ nose.  
  
            “Ew.” Kismet wrinkled her nose.  “Okay, fine I’ll wear that one.  But you guys had better be ready in an hour or I’m going without you.”  She jumped off the bed and stalked out of the door.  
  
            “If you liked her dress so much, why don’t you wear it?” Scorpius teased.  
  
            “I don’t think Rose would approve.” Albus smiled.  
  
            “Since when did you care what Rose approved of?”  
  
            “You have a point.”  
  
            Scorpius smiled and leaned towards Albus, gently pressing his lips against Albus’ before quickly deepening the kiss.  
  
            Albus pressed his hips against Scorpius’, pulling back slightly for a moment. “An hour, she said?”  
  
            Scorpius pulled back further and sat up.  “Not yet.” He searched Albus’ eyes for understanding.  
  
            Albus nodded and sat up too, taking Scorpius into his arms again. “Okay, not yet.”  
  
            And so, an hour later, the trio made their way towards the Room of Requirement, avoiding ghosts and teachers and bribing the odd prefect who saw them.  As they walked into the room, they discovered the party was already in full swing.  Their senses were immediately bombarded with the stuffy heat of human bodies, the stench of alcohol and weed, the deafening pounding of muggle music and a hundred voices, and the excessively bright festoons of red and green.  
  
            “Al!” Came a cheerful female voice from somewhere in the crowd.  Lily Luna Potter appeared and grabbed Albus’ arm, a wide grin across her face.  “Come play spin the bottle.”  
  
            "Lily? You shouldn’t be here!”  
  
            “Neither should you, Slytherboy, come on!”  
  
            Albus let her drag him towards an assorted horde of students from various houses, Scorpius and Kismet close behind.  
  
            A Gryffindor who couldn’t have been much older than Lily - around 15 - held up a muggle vodka bottle and yelled at the horde to sit in a circle.  Albus sat next to Scorpius and Kismet sat across the circle from them, next to Lily.  There was a drunken cheer as the Gryffindor boy spun the bottle and it landed on Kismet.  Kismet looked at the bottle for a moment before looking the boy up and down, one pale brown eyebrow arched condescendingly as he crawled towards her.  He leaned forwards, the stench of firewhiskey on his breath.  Right before he could lean into her face, Kismet turned her head to the side so that his lips bumped into her cheek.  
  
            He pulled back, scowling.  “That’s cheating!”  
  
            “Uh, uh, Honey.  A kiss.  Doesn’t specify where.” Kismet smirked and winked at him, grabbing the bottle and giving it a solid twist.  It spun a few times.   
  
            Albus watched it apprehensively; Scor would not cope well with watching Kismet kiss him.  It spun a few more times before finally landing on Scorpius.   
  
           Al sat very still as Kismet looked at them sitting there with their fingers so innocently entwined, and raised her eyebrows.


	9. Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (tw) I would just like to warn you wonderful people that this chapter contains descriptions of a panic attack, mentions of suicide, existentialism and sexual scenes, although nothing is too in depth or explicit. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless and please leave a comment, it really means a lot. <3

Kismet looked at Scorpius, then to Albus and back to Scorpius.  “Alright.” She shrugged before beginning to crawl across the circle to him, her short green dress riding up over her lace-clad behind, gaining appreciative wolf whistles from the others behind her.  Her bosom was practically falling out of the low V-neck of the dress.  Albus felt Scorpius physically shuffle backwards as Kismet snagged a cigarette off a girl on the other side of Scor.  She took a long drag, eyes locked with Scorpius, before flicking it back at the girl and leaning into Scorpius’ face.  Albus could smell the weed from the cigarette on her breath as she pressed her lips to Scor’s.  Albus watched helplessly as she deepened the kiss, shoving her tongue into his mouth at the same time she forced her hand down Scorpius’ pants.  
  
        Scorpius jerked backwards, gasping, eyes wide with panic, but Kismet forced herself back onto him.  Albus clenched his fists and his jaw tightened as he braced himself before shoving Kismet away from Scorpius.  “Stop! What are you doing?!”  
  
        Kismet just sat up and raised her eyebrows. “It’s just a game, Al.”  
  
        “A game we aren’t playing anymore. Come on, Scor.” Albus stood up and pulled Scorpius up too, dragging him into the heaving, sweaty mass of humans.  The noise was overpowering.  Scor could see Al’s lips moving, but he couldn’t make out what he was saying.  Suddenly, the crowd surged as a new song came on, people screaming and chanting the lyrics.  Scorpius watched in increasing horror and panic as Albus lost his grip on his arm and was dragged away with the crowd.  
  
        “Al!” He screamed, voice drowned in the pounding noise.  He tried to push his way through, but there were too many people and he didn’t know which way Al had gone and there were so many people pressing against him with hot damp limbs and the air was filled with the sickly sweet smell of weed and it was choking him and he couldn’t breathe and-  
  
        Albus spotted Scorpius and shoved his way to him with elbows and shoulders.  He could see the panic setting in as Scorpius’ ragged breathing grew faster and faster.  Albus grabbed Scor and dragged him through the crowd, violently shoving people out of the way.  Finally they came to a door and Albus thrust his way through with Scorpius and came to an abrupt halt as he saw the room was bare except for a rug on the floor, and the entire ceiling and one wall was made of glass.  The night was clear and the stars shone brightly.  Albus directed Scor to the rug, where he gratefully sat and put his head between his knees as his breathing returned to normal and Albus rubbed his back.   
  
        It took quite a while for Scorpius to calm down, but soon enough they were lying on the rug and gazing up at the stars.  
  
        “Isn’t that Scorpio?” Albus asked, pointing at a constellation.  
  
        “No.” Scorpius laughed softly, “You can only see Scorpio during late October to late November.”  
  
        Albus chuckled quietly. “Well wouldn’t that have been romantic? Our stargazing is just a month late.”  
  
        “It would have been super cheesy.” Scorpius rolled onto his side and gazed at Al affectionately.     
       
        Albus flushed and looked away.  The pair stayed like that, Albus gazing at the sky, Scorpius gazing at Albus for a few minutes.  Just comfortable in their silence.  
  
            Finally, Albus sat up and quietly said, “I don’t know what I’m doing, Scor. I just feel like I’m drifting through my life, either feeling way too much or nothing at all. Scor-“ He broke off and looked down, unsure if he should keep going.  
  
            Scorpius sat up and reached towards him, gently lifting his chin and wiping Albus’ stray tears with his thumb.  “It’s okay, Al, you don’t have to tell me.  I’ll just give you my presence.”  
  
            This made Albus begin to cry harder.  “You dork, I want to tell you.” He gazed into Scor’s huge blue eyes.  “I just- Scor- Do you know, that you’re the only thing that’s kept me going all these years? If I hadn’t met you I’d probably have thrown myself off the Astronomy Tower by now.”  
  
            “No you wouldn’t ha-“ Scorpius began to say.  
  
            “Yes, Scorpius. I would have. I’m being serious. I’ll be feeling absolutely nothing, considering the inevitability of my death, your death. The death of everything we know, everyone we love. How futile and pointless it is to even keep going. Sometimes I even went up to the Astronomy Tower, to stand by the rail and consider what it would be like to feel the wind on my skin as I plummeted towards the inevitable. Such a messy way to die. But then your dorky face would pop into my head, or your sweet laugh, or something stupid you’d said would run through my mind and I’d walk back to you because even if everything is pointless in the end, right now, in the present moment, I have you. I’m not alone. I have dorky, awkward Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. And- and I love you Scorpius. I love you; I really do. Every stupid thing you say, your slightly crooked teeth, your dainty hands, your crazy love of books. Everything. You.” The tears were flowing freely down both of their faces now.  
  
            “And I love you too, Albus. I mean it.” Scorpius took Albus’ face between his small hands, pressing their foreheads together.  They gazed into each other’s eyes, so close together they saw double, and Albus knew Scor was only human but he swore to any and all of the gods that he could see the galaxies reflected in his soulful eyes.  Scor ran his hands up through Albus’ hair.  They tangled and got caught in a knot and the pair broke apart, giggling awkwardly.  Scorpius looked up at Albus for a moment, then reached towards him and pulled off Albus’ shirt, running his fingers down the other boy’s chest.  
  
        Albus caught Scorpius’ hands in his and searched his friend’s eyes earnestly. “Are you sure?”  
  
        Scorpius looked at him for a moment before firmly nodding, then he pulled his own shirt up over his head. “You don’t have to be alone anymore.” He whispered.  
  
        Albus gazed at his pale skin and ran one finger along Scor’s prominent collarbone.  The pair came together slowly.  Searching and needy and unsure.  
  
        It was awkward and messy and clumsy, because life isn’t a perfect fairytale where everything goes right the first time.  Life is awkward and messy and clumsy.  It’s dirty and cruel and it’s futile.  But it is beautiful.  Against every odd, life trudges on.  And it is oh, so beautiful.  
  
        They drove home and home and home again, and they were neither one of them alone.


	10. Providence

A few days later Albus was sitting at the Slytherin table with Scorpius, eating with his left hand so that at no point would his skin leave contact with Scorpius’ skin.  Albus wouldn’t let go; he made sure he was always physically touching Scor in some way because he could feel that Scor was still a little shaky on occasion from what had happened at the Christmas party.  
  
            Albus looked up from his breakfast to see Kismet walking towards them.  He gently squeezed Scorpius’ hand to warn him that she was on her way.  
  
            Kismet sat down opposite the pair and grabbed a piece of toast slathered in strawberry jam.  “Albus, Scorpius.” She said almost curtly, before biting into her toast.  
  
            “Kismet.” Albus replied, eyeing her cautiously.  
  
            Scorpius just kept his piercing eyes on his empty plate.  There were a few tense moments of awkward silence while Kismet ate, Scorpius stared violently at his plate and Albus looked anywhere other than Kismet.  Thankfully, the silence was broken by the mail being flown in by some noisy owls.  A large black owl of some breed Albus had never seen before dropped a small envelope in front of Kismet.  She looked at it, momentarily confused about why it might be so small.  Her father usually wrote her very long letters that always came in thick envelopes.  Kismet picked it up and tore it open, scanning it quickly and then rereading it again much more slowly, face paling as a scared and slightly horrified expression settled itself across her face.  
  
            “Kismet, what is it?” Albus asked her after a moment.  
  
            “It’s Ma.” Kismet said slowly. Her voice trailed into a whisper as she said, “Remember that sickness I told you she has? I never told you that it was cancer, and it has reached stage four.”  
  
            “Isn’t there anything they can do?”  
  
            “She’s a muggle and she’s been living in a muggle community since Pa and I came here.  There are no magical healers there and there’s only so much chemotherapy can do.  She’s going to die.”  
  
            “But Kismet,” Albus said carefully, he knew he was treading on eggshells.  Kismet was one of his best friends and her mother was dying, but she had hurt his other best friend- his boyfriend- the night before, and he happened to be seated right next to said boyfriend.  “I thought you were studying to become a healer? That’s why you can’t fail Potions and why you’re constantly studying. Once you graduate you can go back to South Africa and use your magic to help your Ma.”  
  
            “What if she doesn’t last that long?” Kismet whispered, a few tears beginning to streak down her face, reddening her eyes.  
  
            “Well, passing all your N.E.W.Ts is the first thing you have to worry about, or you won’t be able to help her.”  
  
            “But I want to see her.”  
  
            “After graduation.”  
  
            "We’ll come with you after graduation.” Scorpius surprised Albus and Kismet with this declaration. 

            “Maybe we can be of some use.”  
  
            Kismet looked at Albus with gentle eyes. “I would really like that.” She said softly.  
  
            Albus squeezed Scorpius’ hand thankfully.  
  
            “I should finish that Potions essay.”

 

            Kismet threw herself into her studies, in every sense of the word.  She barely socialised and she hardly ever went outside, but she sat every N.E.W.T with a reasonable amount of confidence.  Even Potions.  Professor Slughorn came up to her later and said “Well done, Miss Zeke! Exceeds Expectations! I am so glad you were able to overcome the explosive nature of your potions. I do hope you get your desired profession.”  She completely bummed out on History of Magic, but she had only taken that to fill out the necessary spots on her timetable.  Albus and Scorpius both passed with mostly Acceptable with the odd Exceeds Expectations and maybe one Outstanding and a sprinkling of lower marks each thrown in.  Before they were quite ready, graduation had rolled around.  
  
            “I’m not ready to leave Hogwarts.” Albus said to Scorpius one night as they lay curled on Albus’ bed.  
  
            “I’ll never be ready to leave.” Scorpius replied, nuzzling into Albus’ shoulder.  
  
            “Some people never do leave though.” Albus said thoughtfully. “People like Dumbledore, Hagrid, Lupin, Longbottom. They graduated, well, not Hagrid I suppose, but the others graduated then came straight back to teach.”  
  
            “Okay, maybe I don’t want to stay here forever. I think it would drive me mad.” Scorpius crinkled his nose endearingly.  
  
            “Well anyway,” Albus sighed, “We should get going or we’ll be late to the feast and Kismet will tell everyone that we’re fucking.”  
  
            Scorpius immediately flushed red at this prospect, causing Albus to laugh and whack him with a pillow as he jumped off the bed.  After that first time the pair had only done it a handful more times, and each time it had been a very special thing for them.  They were driven by love, not lust.  The pair pulled their robes on hurriedly and found their pointed hats before quickly making their way up to the Great Hall.  
  
            They found a spot at the Slytherin table next to Kismet. The Hall was already crammed with students, each House table was nearly packed to full capacity, and yet it never felt as though there wasn’t enough room.  
  
            Headmistress McGonagall got up from her place at the Professors’ table and made her way to the podium.  “Right. Without any further ado I will read the list of graduates and when your name is called I would like you to please come up and stand here.” She pointed to the area by the door where they had all stood as they awaited their sorting seven years ago. “I will then escort you to the boats and Professor Hagrid will take you away from Hogwarts as students for the very last time. Some of you will return as adults, some as professors, and others not at all. But whatever happens, and wherever life takes you, Hogwarts, your home of the last seven years, wishes you the fulfilment of your admirable aspirations, and will always stand here to welcome your children, your children’s children, or you, back through its gates to return home.”  
  
            Albus wasn’t entirely sure, but he thought he heard Kismet sniff. If she had, she certainly wasn’t the only one. There was many a damp eye at McGonagall’s farewell speech. He glanced over at the Gryffindor table and saw that Lily Luna was most  _definitely_ crying.  
  
            “Aniston, James.” She had begun to call the names of the seventh years.  Eventually she reached “Malfoy, Scorpius.” Then soon after “Potter, Albus.” He went up to stand next to Scorpius as McGonagall read more names.  He heard “Weasely, Rose.” And looked up to see Rose stand and join her friends a few people away from Albus and Scorpius.  Finally, she called the very last name on her list. And what an appropriate name for going out to face the world it was. “Zeke, Kismet.”  
  
        Kismet.  The thing that had started this crazy adventure of their lives, and the thing that could and would control the outcome of their lives.  
  
        “Follow me.” McGonagall said, and she led a procession of students out of the Great Hall.  The seventh years, follow by various students who had friends among those seventh year students.  
  
        “Three to a boat! Three to a boat!” Came the familiar cry from Hagrid, reminding them of what they had been told seven years ago.  
  
        Naturally, Kismet, Albus and Scorpius hopped in a boat together.  Soon enough, they were out on the Black Lake, sailing away from Hogwarts and towards Hogsmeade train station.  
  
        Scorpius turned, causing the boat to rock slightly. “I’m going to miss Hogwarts.” He said softly, gazing up at the beautiful old castle, lights glittering in the windows.  
  
        Albus and Kismet turned to gaze back at the castle as well.  Before they knew it, they were out of the boats and boarding the scarlet steam engine for the last time.  The train would take them away from school and childhood, and towards the challenges and tribulations, choices and triumphs of their adult lives.


	11. Destiny

Albus felt his phone buzz, so he pulled it out of his back pocket and checked his messages.  He hadn’t taken it to Hogwarts in his seven years of education because muggle technology really didn’t mix well with magic, but since he’d left and begun to live in a much more muggle community when he wasn’t at his parents', he’d begun to carry it around regularly to make it easier to keep in touch with Scor and organise the trip to South Africa with Kismet.  They had decided to go by port key and Kismet was currently getting permission from the ministry.  It was Scorpius who had texted him.  
  
**i’m coming over, be there in 5 x**

 

**see you soon x**

            He texted back before shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket and ran across the road to his apartment.  His older brother, James, had remained living at home with their parents and Lily when he had graduated, but Albus had decided he wanted a little more privacy than he got being constantly surrounded by Potters’ and Weaselys’, and also maybe because he wanted a private place for him and Scor.  Scorpius didn’t live with Albus, but he spent so much time at his apartment that he may as well have.  
  
            Albus unlocked the door to his apartment and immediately sprawled on the couch, waiting for Scor.

 

            The trio approached the cracked pair of square glasses on the grassy hilltop five minutes before the appointed time.

            “So do we just… grab it?” Albus asked nervously.  He had never travelled by portkey, but he had heard the dark story of his father’s first Quidditch World Cup plenty of times from Uncle Ron.

            “Um, that’s what they said at the Ministry.” Kismet shrugged, kneeling down and delicately taking hold of the bent left temple. 

        Albus exchanged a glance with Scorpius before placing a careful finger on the cracked lense of the old glasses, Scorpius putting his finger next to his.  Suddenly they were spinning and Albus felt as though he were being compressed until with a thump they were sprawled ungracefully on the dirt amid a few patches of wild yellow grass.

            Kismet stood up and pulled out a map. "Right, so we should be here..." She trailed off as she examined her tattered map.  "Which means the village should be this way." She glanced up at the morning sun to gauge the direction and headed off in a northwest direction.

            “So, this is South Africa?” Scorpius asked timidly.

            “Well, we’re actually in Lesotho, in some tribal lands.  Remember, it's a muggle village, so no magic unless we're in private." She called back over her shoulder as Scorpius pulled Albus off the ground.  The pair quickly scrambled through the grass after her.

 

            “It looks so primitive.” Scorpius said quietly as they stood surveying the small village of mud, stone and thatch houses.

            “Pa said Ma was living near the centre of the village because she’s been their healer for the past twelve years.”

            “So, we should head that way?” Albus pointed to the middle of the cluster of houses where they could make out what appeared to be the remains of a large bonfire, easily the size of one of the small cottages.

            “Precisely.” Kismet said before setting off at a brisk walk.

            Scorpius grabbed Albus’ hand and they exchanged another glance before following their headstrong friend.  They walked through dry tussock and past a single Baobab tree.  The village had looked considerably closer than it actually was across the gently swelling hills of grasslands.  Once they finally reached the village, they were surprised to find it completely abandoned.  Not a person was in sight.  The strange thing was every door was closed and locked.  It didn’t look as though the inhabitants had left in a hurry, it looked like they had had plenty of time to lock up and get out. 

            Scorpius stopped walking suddenly, causing Albus to crash into him as a shrill cry rent the still air.  The trio froze as they watched people pouring out of the alleyways and small lanes.

            Kismet started trying to talk to the man who appeared to be their leader in Afrikaans, but he just ignored her and signalled to the people to grab them.  Their hands were bound behind their backs with coarse grass ropes.

            “Don’t struggle!” Kismet yelled at Albus and Scorpius over the babbling of the villagers.  “Let’s just see where they take us!”

            Albus looked at Kismet sceptically, but he stopped struggling and walked where the villagers pushed him.  He kept his eyes on the back of Scorpius’ soft blonde hair.  He imagined the feel of that beautiful hair through his fingers before realising that Scorpius must be panicking despite his steady gait.  Albus tried to walk a little faster, but the tribal people pulled him back to their pace, causing him to stumble.  They shouted at him in their musical language as Scorpius looked back at Al over his shoulder, lovely blue eyes wide.  Albus was relieved to see that he didn’t look like he was about to have a panic attack, but he motioned at Scorpius to remember to breathe, earning a cuff over the head from one of the villagers.  But Scorpius nodded gratefully and turned back to follow the man leading Kismet.

            They came to the centre of the village where there was indeed a large bonfire, but as they were led towards it, Albus noted with increasing horror that there were three stakes in the middle of the pyre.

            “Okay, I think now is a good time to struggle.” Came Kismet’s voice over the din of the now chanting tribal people.

            Albus managed to kick one of them, but it was feeble.  They soon had his legs tied and were carrying him towards the pyre.  Albus heard Kismet call out and he looked to his left and saw a woman sitting on a raised dais, her bone structure clearly visible beneath her wasted, thin, greyish skin.  Albus realised with a jolt that she a white woman, even though she had vivid red and yellow tribal paint across her hollow cheeks.

            “Ma!” Kismet cried, “Look at me! Don’t you know your own daughter?!” She kept yelling in a messy mix of English and Afrikaans, but the woman’s eyes remained closed.

            The Africans dragged the three onto the pyre and tied them to the stakes.  Albus pulled against the grass ropes, but that only made them tighter.  He looked to his right and he could see Scorpius standing stock still, eyes wider than Albus had ever seen them, mouth slightly ajar.

            “Fuck.” Albus exclaimed as the tribe danced around the pyre, chanting creepy, ritualistic songs.  “I am going to be burnt at the stake as a sacrifice in the 21st Century.  Well, fuck.”  He laughed darkly and began struggling against his bonds harder.  He looked at Kismet for a moment and felt this anger boil up inside him, but it was directed at himself for following her as well as at her for leading them into this mess.  Albus locked eyes with a panicking Scorpius and he tried to calm the other boy with his eyes.  "Wait, wasn't there a charm that makes fire harmless?" He mumbled to himself.

            Suddenly the villagers were still and silent, watching as a young girl carried a flaming torch towards the pyre.  Albus broke eye contact with Scorpius and looked over at the woman on the dais to see that she was standing, swaying gently and muttering under her breath.  Her eyes were still closed.  The girl with the torch lit the grasses at the base of the pyre and Albus closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

            “MA!” Kismet screeched as the swaying tribe began a gentle, tuneless humming and the fire licked up the pyre.  “It’s me!” She yelled, “It’s KISMET!”

            At the sound of her name, there was a deadly silence.  All Albus could hear was the crackling of the gently growing flames.  Albus opened his eyes and looked at the white woman on the dais.  Her eyes were open now and Albus was shocked to see that they were exactly the same colour and shape as Kismet’s.  Slightly too far apart.


	12. Luck

            “Kismet?” The woman said softly before screeching “Kismet!” She jumped off her dais and threw herself at the well on the other side of the space at the centre of the village.  She hauled a wooden bucket out of the well and staggered towards the pyre, water slopping over the sides.  The villagers seemed to get the idea as she dropped the bucket over the fire, resulting in a loud hissing, but it didn’t do much to dent the flames that were rapidly leaping towards the bound trio.  The villagers began dousing the flames, following the lead of Kismet’s mother.  
  
            Albus heard Kismet cry out again and saw that her mother had collapsed on the ground and only the little girl who had carried the torch was trying to help her.   
  
            The fire finally subsided and succumbed to the water the villagers were throwing on it and the semi-charred pyre was soon crawling with people replacing the grasses and adding more wood.  A few climbed to where the trio were still tied and cut their bonds with a knife that Albus wasn’t sure where it had come from as this particular boy was wearing only a loincloth and a beaded anklet.  
  
            Kismet jumped off the pyre as soon as she was free and ran over to her mother, pulling some herbs out of her backpack and holding them under her mother’s nose.  
  
            Albus heard a thump and looked towards where Scorpius was.  He was kneeling on the ground at the base of the pyre.  As Albus ran over to him he saw Kismet frantically miming to the villagers to take her mother into the nearest cottage.   
  
        Albus knelt down next to Scorpius and took his hands.  “Scor, look at me.” Albus said.  
  
        Scorpius looked up at him, eyes still wide and fearful.  
  
        “Scorpius, it’s okay, we’re okay now, breathe.”  
  
        Scorpius nodded and inhaled shakily.  Albus looked over his shoulder and saw Kismet following some of the villagers who were carrying her mother towards a cottage.  Albus helped Scorpius up and held his hand as he pulled him after Kismet.  
  
        They hurried inside the cottage as Kismet mimed that she wanted to be alone with her mother.  The villagers seemed to get the idea and willingly left the cottage, but they milled about just outside the door.  “Al, block the door.”  
  
        Albus looked around and saw a heavy wooden chair, so he let go of Scorpius’ hand and closed the door, carrying the chair over to it and setting it down in front.  He thought he probably shouldn't use magic with the natives just outside the door.  He then gently pushed Scorpius down into the chair and reminded him to breathe.  Kismet was pulling potion ingredients out of her endless bag in an attempt to find something that would revive her mother.  “Al, take Scor and go find some wood or peat or something to start a fire.”  
  
        Albus knew she just wanted to be alone with her mother because they could easily just have made a small fire with basic magic.  Nevertheless Albus took Scorpius’ hand and moved him away from the door, kicking the chair out of the way and placing a charm on the door so that when they left the villagers wouldn’t be able to open it from the outside.  
  
        “There is literally no wood out here,” Albus said once he had led Scorpius a safe distance from the villagers surrounding the cottage.  
  
        “Kismet said find peat or something.” Scorpius mumbled weakly, "and there's always the grass..." he sank to the ground and put his head between his knees.  
  
        Albus began to pace up and down in front of Scorpius.  He knew Scor was in shock, but he’d never learnt any charms that would help in this situation so he turned his mind to Kismet.  “Is it really possible to heal cancer with magic? If it was why didn’t we start helping the muggles ages ago?”  
  
        “Because they fear magic.” Scor muttered.  
  
        “Well, yeah, I know, but like,  _secretly_.” He shrugged.  “They would have worshipped us.”  
  
        Scorpius raised his head as he finally felt his heartrate slow.  “And that’s how people go mad and turn evil.” Scorpius said pointedly.  
  
        “Fine.” Albus slumped down next to Scorpius and automatically took his hand, running his own thumb along Scor’s skin.  “But seriously, what can Kismet actually do to heal her Ma?”  
  
        “She can probably get rid of the pain and help her sleep, I suppose.” Scorpius said, running his own thumb along Albus’.  Scorpius saw the look in Albus’ eyes and reached his spare hand up to tangle it in Al’s messy hair.  “It’s not like Kismet actually needs a fire.” He whispered, his breath tickling Al’s face as the pair drew closer to each other.   
  
        Albus gently kissed along Scorpius’ jawline, one hand on Scor’s upper thigh, the other still entwined with his hand.

o.O.o

        In the cottage, Kismet fumbled around with her ingredients for a moment before giving up and charming the potion to make itself.  “I hope that charm actually works.” She muttered as she tucked her wand behind her ear and a fire suddenly burst to life in the hearth.  
  
        “Kismet?” Came a croak from the bed.  
  
        She hurried over to her Ma and pulled up the chair next to her.  “Ma.” She said softly, tucking a strand of her mother’s long greying hair behind her ear.  “We were so close to being burnt.” She didn’t say it accusingly, but she said it in such a way that her Ma could answer the implied question if she wanted to, or just leave the statement hanging.  
  
        “Feast day…” Her Ma tried to explain, “Sacrifice… Villagers… don’t welcome… strangers.”  
  
        Kismet nodded in understanding and proceeded to check her mother’s pulse and temperature before checking on the potion.   To her intense relief, it was ready.  “Here.” She held it out to her mother.  “It will help the pain.”  
  
        Kismet’s Ma eyed it warily, well accustomed to the mind-numbing pain relief of muggles, she was reluctant to try magical pain relief.  “I’d rather… keep my… wits.” She croaked out.  
  
        “It doesn’t affect the mind.” Kismet reassured her. “Drink.” She held it to her lips and tilted it.  Her Ma drank it reluctantly, but within minutes she was much more relaxed.  “Why did everyone stop when I said my name?” Kismet asked.  
  
        “Only god… worship… Fate.” Her Ma closed her eyes with the effort of speaking again.

  
        “Sleep now,” Kismet said as she stroked her mother’s cheek. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”  Her Ma nodded, eyes still closed, and an almost happy, peaceful expression settled over her face.


	13. Predestination

Albus and Scorpius made their way back to the cottage as the sun began to sink, streaking the horizon with vivid reds and pinks, small clusters of villagers silhouetted against the colourful backdrop.  
  
            “Alohomora.” Scorpius whispered, pointing his wand at the door of the cottage.  He quickly locked the door again behind them as Albus walked over to Kismet, who had fallen asleep in the chair by the bed.  Al grabbed a blanket that had fallen to the floor and draped it over her so she wouldn’t get cold.  He then curled up with Scorpius in the corner on the floor of the cottage.  Their combined body heat would keep them warm.

o.O.o

            Albus woke up the next morning to the sound of quiet sobbing coming from the bed.  “Kismet?” He asked cautiously, getting up and going over to her.  
  
            Scorpius sat up and rubbed his eyes as Albus moved across the small space.  Al looked at the still form of Kismet’s mother on the bed, and then at the sobbing form of Kismet on the chair and he knew what was wrong.  
  
            “She’s dead.” Kismet sobbed, “I couldn’t save her.  How can I call myself a healer if I can’t even save my own mother?”  
  
            Albus rubbed her arm and said, “Kismet, she was too far gone, you couldn’t have saved her.”  
  
            “I should have been able to!”  
  
            “No one could have, but you made her happy at the last.  Kismet- look at her.  She’s at peace.  You gave her that- you gave her relief at last.  She’s lived in pain for so long.  She was so strong and now you can be strong for her.” He tried to comfort her.  “We should tell the Africans...?” it almost came out as a question.  
  
            Kismet sniffed and nodded.  She got up and wiped her nose on her sleeve before opening the door and beckoning them in.  
  
            A few of the more curious came into the room and saw Kismet’s Ma.  They backed out and began wailing and telling the others that their healer was dead.  Soon the morning air was full of wailing and crying.  
  
            Just before noon, a tall, muscular man came into the cottage and pointed at the body, then he pointed at the pyre in the centre of the village.  
  
            “I think he wants to burn the body.” Scorpius glanced sideways at Kismet, afraid she might get angry.  “Is that okay Kismet?”  
  
            She looked up at the three men in the room, for Albus and Scorpius were no longer boys, and with puffy eyes she nodded consent at the man.  He walked over to the bed and gently pulled back the blankets.  He lifted the limp body and carried it over to the pyre.  The others had set up a wailing chant and formed a circle around the pyre.  They all joined hands and began swaying in time to their tuneless chant.  
  
            Kismet, Albus and Scorpius stood in the doorway of the cottage and watched in silence as the flames licked up the now-funeral pyre.  The smoke billowed up into the blue sky, carrying the ashes and spirit of Kismet’s Ma to scatter amid the four winds of her home.  Kismet buried her face in Albus’ shoulder and Scorpius grabbed his hand.  There was nothing to say, so they just stood, listening to the flames and the wailing chant.  
  
            They spent the rest of the day helping the Africans rebuild the pyre.  As they understood it, they always liked to keep it built in case of things like deaths and feast days.  By the end of the day, Kismet had figured out a way of communicating with the villagers and she had discovered that her Ma had been their healer and that she had been unable to treat several people the last few weeks because she had been too ill herself and had spent most of her time in bed.  Kismet had talked to the chief as they worked and she had agreed that she would stay a few days and see if she could help those people.  Albus and Scorpius agreed to stay a few more days to help her.  Albus was glad to see she was finding a purpose to her life despite the tragedy of the past few days.

o.O.o

            Staying in Lesotho a few more days turned into a week and Kismet had nearly mastered the language.  It wasn’t like she was learning it from scratch as Al and Scor were, it was as if she was simply remembering a language learned long ago.  Albus and Scorpius were completely baffled by the musical tongue and continued to ask Kismet for translations.   
  
            One day Kismet came bounding up to the pair as they sat talking under the lone tree.  
  
            “They’ve asked me to become their healer!” She was practically jumping up and down on the spot with excitement.  “The ceremony is a sunset!”  
  
            “Kismet,” Scorpius looked up at her slowly, “Won’t you have to stay here forever, then?”  
  
            Kismet’s face began to fall.  “I- I feel like I belong here. I don’t have a place in England, I- I want to stay here. I can help these people, they need me.”  
  
            “Well, we’re going to back to England.” Albus blurted.  “We can get married.” He turned and smiled softly at Scorpius as the sun filtered through his almost golden hair.  
  
            Kismet’s eyes widened briefly before she got herself under control.  “Yes. I knew you would want to do both those things.” She smiled, “You can go tomorrow morning if you want, I organised it a few days ago, use the same portkey on that hill over there and-"  
  
            “Kismet,” Scorpius said softly, “We’ll stay longer if you want us to.”  
  
            “Stay for the ceremony, tonight at sunset, then you can leave tomorrow morning.” Kismet dropped her faux-enthusiasm and said, “I wish I could come to your wedding but- I will have to stay after tonight.  It’s just-" She broke off, unsure.  “I’ll miss you guys.” She finished quietly.  “I’ve spent most of my life with you and now I’m going to live with near-strangers for potentially the rest of it.”  
  
            “We’ll come and visit, Kismet, you’re our friend.” Albus replied.  
  
            “I know.” She said quietly.  “Even though I’ve ignored you both and tried to prevent you from dating and just been a downright bitch most of the time.  I don’t deserve you two.”  
  
            “Of course you deserve us! We all do dumb things sometimes, some people just take longer to realise that they’re being dumb.”  Albus said loudly.  
  
            “Uh… thanks?” Kismet laughed humourlessly.  “Will you come to the ceremony?”  
  
            “Obviously.” Scorpius rolled his eyes. “What else are we gonna do tonight out here in the middle of nowhere?”  
  
            “Uh, fuck?” Kismet raised one eyebrow and broke into a grin, running off towards the village laughing.  
  
            Scorpius flushed a vibrant beetroot as Albus jumped up and yelled after Kismet, laughter cracking his stern façade.

o.O.o

            That evening, as the sun touched the endless horizon, Kismet sat cross-legged at the base of the dais, eyes closed, hands on her knees.  Scorpius and Albus stood against the cottage, keeping out of the way of the villagers.   
  
        A pair of girls were banging out an uneven rhythm on some crude congas as the majority picked up an arrhythmic chant, completely unlike the other ritualistic chants they had already heard.  A few minutes of this was followed by the man (whom Albus assumed was the chief) that had carried Kismet’s Ma to the funeral pyre came forwards with a small wooden bowl in each hand.  He stood in front of Kismet for a moment, motionless, before kneeling before her and placing the bowls on the ground.  He dipped his thumb in the bowl on his left and reached towards Kismet, drawing a red line with his thumb from the middle of her forehead to the tip of her nose and then another small red line down her chin.  Kismet could smell the strong spices used to colour the dye.  The man withdrew his hand and dipped the fore and middle fingers of each hand into the bowl on his right and drew two yellow lines on each of her cheeks.  He said something and Kismet’s eyes opened, eerily reminiscent of the moment her mother’s eyes had opened weeks ago.  She began chanting something in time with the man and Albus knew the ceremony was almost over, so he slid his fingers into Scorpius’ and together they silently slipped away into the cottage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update for you today because I've missed a couple of updates, sorry :( I hope you enjoyed this extra chapter! Please leave a comment <3


	14. Epilogue

“You will come and visit, won’t you?” Kismet asked anxiously as she hugged Scorpius.  
  
            “You know we will.” Scor smiled as he pulled back.  
  
            “Good.” Kismet went to hug Albus, but he stopped her by holding out a tattered white monkey, with eyes that seemed to know just a bit too much.  “My _Wit Aap_.” Kismet whispered.  
  
            “I want you to have him back.  He was lucky for me.”  
  
            “No, he’s yours now, I couldn’t take him back.” Kismet shook her head and pushed it back towards him.  
  
            Albus knew Kismet wouldn’t change her mind, so he sighed and put it back in his bag.  Kismet threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.  She released him and he bent down to touch the cracked glasses that had brought him to this crazy place, Scorpius putting his hand on them too.  There was a compressing feeling and he felt a jerk behind his navel, then they were twisting and then, they were gone.  
  
            Kismet stood on a lone hill by herself, the wind blowing through her hair and Albus and Scorpius stood on a small hill in the middle of England.  
  
             _And that’s just the way with life, isn’t it?  People willingly tear themselves apart and try to heal the wounds with sticky tape and PVA glue and the gods watch on, uncaring and ever omniscient.  Sometimes a human will interest them- us, whether that be because they are stupider than most, or because they can’t find their purpose, or for some other reason.  But Kismet doesn’t find a purpose.  Kismet_ is  _the purpose.  And Kismet decides.  Kismet doesn’t ask what you want.  Kismet doesn’t care.  You can only do as Kismet says and hope that I, Kismet, am sweet._


	15. Kismet Playlist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got very experimental with my writing style while working on this fic, including creating a playlist to inspire myself while I wrote.  I put songs on this playlist if I thought they captured the feelings of a specific character in a particular moment, or if the song just reminded me of something in the story.  I hope you enjoy the music and maybe see if you can guess why I put each song in! I hope you liked my story and maybe read more of my work in the future. <3

  
[Sick of Losing Soulmates | Dodie Clark](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qGFAkyfjDU)  
  
[Dream | Tessa Violet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4NLarMj4xU)  
  
[Not Over You | Tessa Violet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg4setI1nMk)  
  
[Haze | Tessa Violet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCd9Z6cc_6Y)  
  
[Make Me a Robot | Tessa Violet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2auHkP-iJ9E)  
  
[Absolutely Smitten | Dodie Clark](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TAJwGniuUs)  
  
[On My Own | Les Miserables](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EOla4fbRFM)  
  
[How Would You Like It? | Lauren Aquilina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6GTWocgpfc)  
  
[Samson | Regina Spektor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p62rfWxs6a8)  
  
[Hurt Any Less | Lauren Aquilina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxJVvMXPHS0)  
  
[Suddenly Strangers | Lauren Aquilina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-6hXZ9_npg)  
  
[Thinking About | Lauren Aquilina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYO9_8vq-xk)  
  
[Say Something | A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2U0Ivkn2Ds)  
  
[Unsteady – Me Before You Remix | DJ Biggstar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGdaSDwKPG8)  
  
[Lay Me Down | Connie Talbot Cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVKST_6lTY0)  
  
[Small | Tessa Violet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG-tSF1wSmQ)  
  
[Hey Brother | Avicii](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cp6mKbRTQY)  
  
[Soon | Thumbelina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuxfomGU1AQ)  
  
[Pieces | Bry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jivS_IODQOM)  
  
[bluebird | Christina Perri](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xUmNNd06g4)


End file.
